Now I share the objective - Fables have animals that teach us lessons by the way that they act. The actions of these animals is similar to what people would do - this is called personification. A non human thing or animal acting like a person. We will read the fable and determine the ways Aesop uses personification to teach a moral lesson.

I start by having students pass out the Lion and the Mouse fable as I project a copy on the board. I read the fable as students follow along to ensure they get a first idea of the who, what and why.

I ask them what are the three main characters in this fable? I then ask them to think of character traits or descriptive words they would use to describe their characters and to reference their prior charts for "The Dove and the Ant" if they need assistance. Students should come up with character traits like (powerful, fun-loving lion, weak, determined mouse, strong, unaware hunters, etc.) - add details to their charts

I now ask them to imagine what the setting their version of this fable would look like - I have them turn and share their versions with a partner (this helps them to create more complete picture details for our chart)

I ask students to share and ask guiding questions such as "What else can we add?" to help them come up with a tree (lion is tied to it), a forest (where lions live/ hunters), a castle in the distance (king lives there), clear day (mouse could see lion), etc.

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I then ask them to identify by underlining the problem that each of the characters faced in the fable and then to write how each was solved in the margin of their paper. I pair struggling students.

In that we did this in the two previous lessons I don't model this part but I do circulate checking for levels of understanding so that I can gauge where each students comprehension is at.

If lower levels of understanding are noted then I write = mouse - problem - solution, lion - problem - solution, and hunters - problem - solution on the board and have students add details after the time is signaled

After students have responded to all three problems and solutions on their charts. I have them write responses to the story questions:

What was the moral, or lesson learned by the characters in this fable? How was this lesson learned, How do the characters in this fable act like people (personification)? What type of person does the “lion” represent?What type of person does the “mouse” represent? Who is the stronger character at the end of the story? Why?

I projected a copy of common morals on the board for reference if needed.

Then I go back to my first question - Who was stronger, the lion or the mouse?

Debates are great in this section because they help students to make the connection that the smaller animal used determination and heart and did not give in to fears - while the stronger relied more on strength which almost ended up being his doom. (definite lead in for trickster tales!)

I tell them that fables teach morals through the actions of the animals who act and think as people do.